Sunday, October 15, 2006

13th Armored Division insignia

From my collection, a softcover booklet that features the insignia for the 13th Armored Division on the cover.

The booklet was actually the program for a stage-play men in the unit produced before going overseas. The money raised from admission went into the unit's benevolent fund and was used to help either the families of those killed in action, or those seriously wounded in action. The stage-play had three acts and by all accounts was the hit of the town.

I own several other items from this unit that feature their Disney-designed insignia including a large softcover book detailing the unit's training before being posted overseas, a Card-O gum card, a piece of stationary and a circa 1946 hardcover yearbook type publication that details the unit's exploits while deployed in Europe.

The large softcover book has a back cover photo that shows the unit's Commanding Officer standing beside the original art, as well as an inside photo of the men who thought of the emblem's design elements.

There is also a unit Christmas card that features the design, which I don't have but am actively looking for. The insignia was also featured in an issue of Walt Disney's Comics and Stories.

The reasoning behind the black cat and superstitious design elements was the thought that any enemy unit which came up against the 13th would be in for a run of bad luck. A black cat, spilt salt, broken mirror, open umbrella, standing under a ladder and the number 13 are all thought of as so-called "bad luck" symbols.

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Wanted: Disney World War Two insignia and home front items

I am actively looking for Disney World War II insignia and home front items to add to my collection including original artwork, unit publications, decals, matchbooks, stationary, cachets, photographs, unit-produced publications, including newsletters, menus, and training manuals, and home front items including magazine and newspaper articles, posters, the Mickey Mouse gas mask (American version, not the British version), and any other interesting bits of ephemera.